Something that has consistently caught my eye throughout our time in Lyon so far has been the incredible amount of street art that I have seen. While the magnificent architecture and views of the city, something about the graffiti keeps drawing me in. I look away from the spectacles and find myself staring down an alley or under a bridge. It is striking to me how the artistic energy in this city is so alive that it can turn the most unusual places into captivating and/or humorous galleries. Unfortunately, I tend towards taking a mental picture over a physical one, so I do not have selections that are most representative of the talent that I have seen on the walls and buildings of Lyon. These are the few that I did capture:

This has inspired me to challenge myself by looking for beauty in unconventional places. To get myself started, I took some advice from Assignment #1 and tried looking out at sites rather than just looking in.

When I looked out at La Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière, I was stunned by how ordinary and blank the walls of surrounding buildings are. I assume that’s to keep your attention on the basilica, but I’ve always been a bit of a rebel. I found myself appreciating the simplicity and anonymity of the iconic church’s silhouette. Even without the ornate engravings that decorate the building, its religious essence and magnificent size still shine through.

Pleased with my first results, I turned outwards once again while touring the traboules. I was thrilled at the sight directly across from the well and spiral staircase. I don’t know whose windowsill this is, but I definitely want to find the owner of these curious items. From the birdcage’s angle to the upside down number I could easily believe that this hodgepodge is an intentional art installation. Don’t even get me started on the symbolism my brain began to derive from the plant growing directly next to the skull… I do not consider myself a photographer in any capacity, but this is one shot that I was truly pleased with.

It is still quite early in the trip, so I intend to continue this challenge throughout the rest of our stay in Lyon. I (probably) won’t be tagging city walls anytime soon, but I am grateful for the people who do. I am inspired by their attempts to turn the most mundane areas into art. It is a large part of the creative spirit of Lyon that I hope to carry back with me to the states.